Felsőtárkány National Forest Railway

The Forest Railway Felsőtárkány is a connection from the Hungarian village Felsőtárkány narrow gauge railway, near the Baroque town of Eger / Eger.

From the earlier to 50 km forest railway network (760 mm gauge ) is a remaining distance of 5 km is obtained which is used by tourists on weekends. Runs twice a day to train Stimecz House, a popular picnic spot and starting point for hikes. First, the route through the wide Egeres Valley, then plunges into the wooded Vörös Kings Valley, where it rises about 90 meters to the Stimecz house. Pulling the train from a small two-axle diesel locomotive of series C- 50; of this type are three engines available ( C04 -403, 404, 406).

Photos

Former boiler house of the forest railway Felsötárkány

Former railway station building in Felnémet

Felsötárkány Forest Railway, tippers

Former route network

Route map of the forest railway Felsőtárkány. Drawn according to a plan, which is issued in the Forest Museum of Szilvásvárad. Based on studies by Metz- Gruber in the 1970s.

The now operated as a museum railway line from Felsőtárkány to Stimecz house is thick drawn, the main railway line interrupted thick.

Development of Forest Railway

1915

The Archdiocese of Eger sets the first line to: Felsőtárkány - Kisnádas - Petre ( Hideg valley). Initially, the railway was run with horses as draft animals. However, it did not matter, because the wood still had to be transported in Felnémet with carts for standard gauge railway.

From 1920/1921

The timber felling rights sold to the Kromberger Matyas and Társai AG, which in 1922 merged to Erdo Egri and Faipari AG. The Hideg Valley route is extended and the Egeres Valley - Vöröskő Valley route built. The route into Barát Valley and on to Oldal Valley, with binding of the hor - valley with the help of a 4 km long cable car built in this period. About the Oldal Valley, a horse-drawn circle line is connected (to about 500 m altitude). Increasing economic activity requires the construction of the line Kisnádas - Felnémet, followed by the connection with Eger ( Felnémet - Faraktár ( Woodyard ) ). The frequent accidents due to circumvention of Felsőtárkány ( Kisnádas - Mészégető ) is created. The small railway carried then annually 9000-12000 cubic meters of wood. The largest client was the Egri Erdo & Faipari AG, which was the owner of the web simultaneously.

Mainline steam traction was introduced soon, while continuing the vehicles were transported with horses on the smaller wing sections.

1933

The railway will revert to its previous owner, the Archdiocese of Eger. The timber transport starts to slow down, but this is compensated by increasing stone, lime and charcoal transport. Proof of this is the construction of the wing lift to Berva Valley Quarry ( 1938) and the distance to the Meller Valley (1942 ).

1945

The train goes into public ownership. The transport of wood continues to lose importance. Accordingly, soon began to break down at this time the 46 km long network. First "victim" is the route Felnémet-Eger/Faraktár.

1949/1950

About a provisional track connection from the local railway station Felnémet provides the building materials to the construction site of the Finomszerelvenygyar. The track is the most used route to the wing limestone quarry in Berva Valley. 500 to 600 tons of goods are transported to Felnémet station.

In 1953, the little train starts with the passenger transport, but right only of workers to Felsőtárkány. Later, the passenger transport is becoming more and more important, so in 1957 a regulated transport is offered, initially only on market days, later at scheduled times. The passenger traffic is unprofitable even then, the losses are offset by freight. Hikers can head to Stimecz - house or the Berva quarry on the little train.

1955

Cargo volume exceeds one-million - tonne-kilometer mark. However, a dispute over the freight rates between the quarry and small railway leads regrettably, that the quarry company in 1963 taking a cable car for transport to the farm for which little train loses its biggest customers. Only temporarily (1969 ), this loss is offset by the Várhegy quarry above Felsőtárkány to which branches off a track at Vadaskert from the main line.

At the same time, more and more smaller routes are shut down. These are followed by the "big" (the state of the infrastructure is deteriorating ): the web in Meller Valley (1969 ), then the distance in Barát Valley (1974 ), and shortly thereafter the section Egeres Valley - Petre ( Hideg Valley, 1980). 1985 ends the transport of stones, and the passenger, has always been a problem child, was no reason to maintain the web. Finally Announces the same year the Finomszerelvenygyar the contract to transport the workers.

Because of the many rail thefts were reduced 18 km without the need of 20 km yet ready to use sections.

1991/1994

Degradation of the track Felnémet - Felsőtárkány. In photos from 1991 /94 still available at the old boiler house tracks Felsőtárkány and on Felnémet station. The small station building in Felnémet 2007 is still preserved. The boiler house was demolished in late 2008/early 2009. Outside Felnémet can be seen on the north side of the road to Felsőtárkány, in a driveway, still see tracks. The former crossing the road at Ortanfang Felsőtárkány is at the other asphalt can also be seen. The there incipient village ring road is converted into a cycle path.

See also

Liste_von_Waldbahnen

Source

• Hungarian -language websites for Forest Railway Felsőtárkány ( see Related links )
• Hiking map of 1:50,000 in the 1930s,
• Current trail maps 1:40 000 ( Bükk Fennsík, Cartographia No. 33, ISBN 963-352-133-5 and A Bükk ( deli rész ) No. 30, ISBN 963-352-130-0 ), a former railway line as ' Régi vasút ' notes; railroad historically less productive the map of Z -Press Kiadó Kft, Bükk ISBN 963-94932-9-5
• ( Track map by Gruber -Metz. Title of the book / publisher / year unknown )
• Thomas Allgaier: Guide to the narrow -gauge railways in Hungary, Rohr Verlag ISBN 3-88490-233-4